Vision Statement

A physician's primary duty is to the patient. The integrity of this doctor-patient relationship requires that emergency physicians control their own practices free of outside interference.

We aspire to a future in which all patients have access to board certified emergency physicians.

The Principles

The ideal practice situation in emergency medicine affords each physician an equitable ownership stake in the practice. Such ownership entails responsibility to the practice beyond clinical services.

Emergency physicians should have control over their professional fees and should not engage in fee-splitting.

The role of emergency medicine management companies should be to help physicians manage their practice. The practice should be owned by and controlled by its physicians and not by a management company.

Medical societies should actively encourage the creation and enforcement of statutes prohibiting the corporate practice of medicine.

Medical societies should not accept financial support from entities that do not adhere to the above principles.

Emergency medicine specialty societies should work towards the goal of establishing a workforce sufficient to ensure that all emergency departments in the United States and its territories are staffed by emergency physicians certified by either the American Board of Emergency Medicine or the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine.